Exporting animals to shows outside of Northern Ireland
This page contains guidance on taking animals to shows outside of Northern Ireland.
IMPORTANT UPDATE – 15 November 2023
A case of Bluetongue has been detected in a bovine animal in Kent. This disease incursion has resulted in the current cessation of all imports of animals from GB to NI.
This block on imports has implications for animals travelling from NI to GB for export sales.
Currently export sales in GB will be run as domestic market only as GB cannot export live animals to the EU. Potential exhibitors should make note of this change. (Exports of live animals directly from NI remain unaffected).
As animals cannot be re-imported to NI from GB currently any animals attending a sale will NOT be able to return if unsold.
Guidance for exporting NI cattle, sheep or goats to shows in GB
The show premises in Great Britain must be an APHA approved assembly centre. It is the responsibility of the exporter to verify the status of the Show premises before beginning the export process.
Sheep - In Summary
Detailed guidance on the export requirements for sheep can be found at Exporting sheep & goats to Great Britain and EU Member States.
Sheep must have been continually resident in Northern Ireland for at least 30 days immediately prior to the date of export to the Show.
The following DAERA paperwork is required to accompany sheep to the show:
- export health certificate (obtained from your authorised Private Veterinary Practitioner (aPVP))
Cattle - In Summary
Detailed guidance on the export requirements for cattle can be found at Exporting cattle to Great Britain and EU Member States.
Cattle must have been continually resident in their holding of origin in Northern Ireland for at least 30 days immediately prior to the date of export to the Show.
All cattle must have undergone a TB test within 30 days of export to Great Britain.
The following DAERA paperwork is required to accompany cattle to the show:
- export health certificate (obtained from your aPVP)
- passport(s)
Requirements for importing/re-importing cattle, sheep and goats from export approved shows or sales
If your animals are not sold or you purchase cattle, sheep or goats which originated in NI, the DEFRA issued Export Health Certificate must accompany the animals on their return to NI in addition to a copy of the original export health certificate that travelled with the animal to the show or sale. Livestock must be returned to Northern Ireland no more than 15 days from the date they left Northern Ireland. After 15 days the livestock must be kept in Great Britain for at least 6 months before they can move back to Northern Ireland or be exported to the EU.
On arrival in Northern Ireland, the animals must be moved direct to their place of destination as shown on the health certificate.
Guidance for exporting sheep to cross-border shows
Exporting from Northern Ireland
The Show premises in the Republic of Ireland must be approved as an EU Assembly Centre and operating to those standards. It is the responsibility of the exporter to verify the status of the Show premises before beginning the export process. Sheep must not stay at the Show premises for more than 6 days.
Sheep being moved to a show must be certified in accordance with the normal export health requirements for intra-community trade in breeding animals detailed information can be found at Exporting sheep & goats to Great Britain and EU Member States.
Returning to Northern Ireland
Sheep re-imported from a Show must be accompanied by their original ITAHC. The original certificate must be endorsed by the signature of the official veterinarian in attendance at the show, together with the official stamp, and date of endorsement. In addition, a certificate of non-co-minglement must be issued by the official veterinarian for the show in the ROI within 24 hours prior to return stating that the animal showed no clinical signs of disease and had not been in contact, during its stay at the show, with animals of a lesser health status. This certificate should be presented to your local DAERA office on arrival back into NI to enable the animals to be re-imported into your herd on APHIS.
A Specific Import Licence is not required.
Guidance for exporting cattle to cross-border shows
Exporting from Northern Ireland
The Show premises within the Republic of Ireland must be approved as an EU Assembly Centre and operating to those standards. It is the responsibility of the exporter to verify the status of the Show premises before beginning the export process. Cattle must not stay at the Show premises for more than 6 days.
Cattle being moved to a show must be certified in accordance with the normal export health requirements including those for BVD for intra-community trade in breeding animals detailed information can be found a Exporting cattle to Great Britain and EU Member States.
Returning to Northern Ireland
Cattle re-imported from a Show in the ROI must be accompanied by the original ITAHC and passport(s). The original certificate must be endorsed by the signature of the official veterinarian in attendance at the show, together with the official stamp, and date of endorsement.
In addition, a certificate of non-co-minglement must be issued by the official veterinarian for the show in the ROI within 24 hours prior to return stating that the animal showed no clinical signs of disease and had not been in contact, during its stay at the show, with animals of a lesser health status. This certificate should be presented, along with a completed MC2 movement document complete with confirmation sticker, to your local DAERA office, on arrival back into NI and this will enable the animals to be re-imported into your herd on APHIS.
A Specific Import Licence is not required.
Northern Ireland has achieved the highest Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) status, designated negligible Risk (NR) status. This was in recognition of the efforts by the Agri-Food industry and DAERA to control BSE. As a result of this enhanced status there is a reduction in the amount of materials, previously considered a risk to the food chain, (Specified Risk material) for disposal.
This will apply to cattle born and exclusively reared in Northern Ireland.
To identify animals that do not satisfy this condition Controlled Risk (CR) status will be applied to those animals on APHIS. All animals imported into Northern Ireland or which have left Northern Ireland and subsequently returned, will be given CR status.
The CR status will apply to animals that have left Northern Ireland to attend shows in Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland. In order to have the CR status removed the animal must satisfy one of the two conditions below and the herd keeper must sign the declaration below:
If the animal has not been outside NI for more than 24hrs, the herd-keeper must sign Part a of the declaration
If the animal has resided outside NI for more than 24hrs and less than one week, then Part b of the declaration must be signed to confirm that animal has been fed on feedstuffs that originate solely from within NI or another NR country.
If the animal satisfies the above conditions, the completed declaration must be sent your local DDO, for removal of the CR status.
Further information
Further advice and guidance on the return of NI animals from approved GB shows and sales: